Peter to close with Vaal double

Jack Milner

Tony Peter has only recently joined the ranks of fully fledged trainers, but he is fast making a name for himself.

Since saddling his first runner early in January this year, he has already visited the winner’s enclosure 13 times (at the time of writing) from only 47 runners, giving him a phenomenal 27.66% win strike rate.

Two of his runners at the Vaal on Thursday are of particular interest – Stratospheric and Napoleon.

Both are owned by Basie and Suzette Viljoen and were relocated to Peter’s Turffontein yard on the Highveld from Cape Town.

Stratospheric, who lines up in Race 7, a MR 86 Handicap over 1600m, has won both his outings on the Highveld. He joined Peter’s outfit as a maiden after nine runs in Cape Town but has taken to the Highveld like the proverbial duck to water.

Denis Schwarz, who has steered this What A Winter gelding to his two successes, unsurprisingly retains the ride.

Napoleon is set to take his place in Race 8, a MR 72 Handicap over 1600m. This Rafeef gelding will also be having his third run on the Highveld, but contrary to his stable companion, has found racing in Joburg a tough task.

He did have excuses in his penultimate when hampered by his own stirrup, and last time out just ran out of steam after leading the field with 400m to go.

This will be the third run after a layoff for the son of Rafeef so he should fully adapted to the Highveld, at his peak and ready to claim his first win in Joburg.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 2 Betula, 12 Spring In Heaven, 6 Khateera, 8 Love Song

Race 2: 2 Bom Bom, 8 No Place Like Home, 3 Brotherhoodofmagic, 6 Kamokamo

Race 3: 1 War Empress, 7 Chilli Marmalade, 2 Count Your Chances, 11 Waitforgreenlight

Race 4: 3 Mover And Shaker, 1 Constable, 5 Vegas Hi Rise, 2 Mardi Gras

Race 5: 2 Hazlo Grande, 1 Vitellius, 5 Luthuli, 3 Libeccio

Race 6: 7 Conker The World, 1 Defender Of Rights, 4 Written In Stone, 10 Feather The Nest

Race 7: 2 Stratospheric, 9 Southern Blaze, 3 Trident King, 8 Sequoia

Race 8: 4 Napoleon, 3 Mcebisi, 7 Eagle Alley, 1 Bob's Your Uncle

BEST BET

Race 3 No 1 War Empress

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 7 Conker The World

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 1x2

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 2, 6, 8, 12

Leg 2: 2, 3, 8

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5

Leg 5: 1, 2

Leg 6: 1, 4, 7

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R72

Leg 1: 2, 3, 8

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1, 3

Leg 4: 1, 2

Leg 5: 1, 7

Leg 6: 2

Leg 7: 3, 4, 7

PICK 6

R1008

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 5

Leg 3: 1, 2, 5

Leg 4: 1, 4, 7, 10

Leg 5: 2, 3, 9

Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

JACKPOT 1

R144

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 5

Leg 2: 1, 2, 5

Leg 3: 1, 4, 7, 10

Leg 4: 2, 3, 9

JACKPOT 2

R252

Leg 1: 1, 2, 5

Leg 2: 1, 4, 7, 10

Leg 3: 2, 3, 9

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10